Top Five Reasons to Take a Fall Getaway to the Yosemite Region

With the reopening of Tioga Pass Road (Hwy 120) this weekend — the last tourist thoroughfare that was closed due to firefighting efforts — the battle against the Rim Fire near Yosemite turned a critical tide, giving visitors the sign that it’s okay to start making Fall getaway plans to the Yosemite National Park region.

“We are so incredibly relieved and grateful for the heroic efforts of the firefighters who’ve nearly contained the Rim Fire, keeping our residents, visitors and irreplaceable Yosemite National Park area safe,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California. “We want visitors around the world to know that the park and surrounding region are open for business, and that the visitor experience this fall will be as spectacular as always. The best thing people who love the area can do to help the region is to support them with your business.”

Yosemite National Park Public Affairs Officer Scott Gediman points out that fall is a great time for many reasons, including a higher chance to see wildlife. “The fall is a wonderful time to visit Yosemite National Park,” said Gediman, who is also a National Park Service ranger. “The park is quiet, and visitors can see animals such as big bucks and black bears before the snow comes in this winter. The weather is warm and pleasant, and long days afford the opportunity for great hiking and sightseeing. Additionally, the park looks spectacular and the “fall colors” of the Sierra Nevada are certainly worth the trip.”

Fall is already a favorite time for Yosemite region veteran travelers, drawn by the cooler temperatures, fewer crowds, lower accommodation rates, spectacular foliage colors and great fall events. Here’s an overview of the top five reasons why visitors should book a fall getaway to the Yosemite area – not in any particular order!:

1) Fall Colors

Come late September and into October, the areas surrounding Yosemite National Park boasts eye-popping fall foliage. Photographers, hikers and nature lovers enjoy the seemingly endless parade of Yosemite flora preparing for the changing season, as the maples, dogwood, aspen and oak transform themselves with leaves of gold, red, yellow and orange.

Rated the #2 place in the United States for fall foliage by Gorp.com, Mono County in the Eastern Sierra is known for its rugged granite canyons carved by rushing streams contrasted by eye-popping autumn colors. Particularly good hot spots here include the Lee Vining and Lundy Canyon area near Mono Lake and Yosemite, Rock Creek south of Mammoth Lakes, McGee Creek, Convict Lake, and the June Lake Loop. Around Bridgeport, leaf peepers won’t want to miss Virginia Lakes, Twin Lakes and the Conway Summit.

Inside Yosemite National Park, most of the trees are evergreen but there are still big-leaf maples, black oaks, Pacific dogwoods, and other deciduous trees which flaunt their color around mid-October. A perfect spot to enjoy the view is Wawona Covered Bridge (thought to be the only covered bridge in a national park and one of a few left in the state of California), where visitors often snap pictures of the trees while listening to the tranquil sounds of the Merced River below. This hidden gem is close to the Wawona Hotel, which dates from the late nineteenth century, as well as the Pioneer Yosemite History Center.

The leaf-peeping season is extended when traveling into Tuolumne County’s High Country via Highway 108 east (towards Pinecrest and Strawberry) and Highway 120 south (towards Yosemite National Park).

2) Cooler Temperatures Make Outdoor Recreation More Inviting

Yosemite National Park is busiest during the warm days of summer, but fall brings brisker temperatures, which stimulate wildlife and beckon travelers to get outdoors for bicycling, hiking, rock climbing , stable rides and sightseeing tours . Outdoor enthusiasts, eager to beat the winter road closures, sneak in their last access to Glacier Point, which offers high-altitude, jaw-dropping views of Yosemite Valley as well as heart-pumping hikes such as Panorama Trail and Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Mariposa Grove is another popular spot, where visitors can crane their necks to see up to 500 mature Giant Sequoias, Earth’s largest living organisms and among her oldest as well.

Many of these outdoor recreation activities – plus winetasting, gold panning, ziplining, aerial adventures and golf –are also popular outside the park in Tuolumne , Madera and Mariposa counties .

3) Accommodation Rates Fall

As summer crowds subside, savvy visitors can find accommodation deals and increased availability in and out of Yosemite National Park. Many hotels in Yosemite National Park and adjacent Tuolumne , Madera , Mono County and Mariposa counties have dropped to their fall or winter rates up to 50-percent to stimulate travel to the region this fall.

4) Fewer Crowds at Attractions
Many visitors love to visit Yosemite area attractions when the crowds of summer fall back, when the pace is slower and more relaxing. In addition to Yosemite National Park , there are many must-see attractions in the area, such as Gold Rush Towns, where visitors can step back in time to experience Old Wild West architecture and activities like gold panning and history museums, while enjoying modern era comforts such as luxury B&Bs, hip cafés, art galleries, gambling and farm-to-fork restaurants sourcing local wines. Some hidden gems to check out are Groveland , Sonora , Jamestown , Columbia , and Mariposa , which is home to two renowned Gold Rush themed museums such as the California State Mining and Mineral Museum and the Mariposa Museum and History Center . Travelers can find a bonafide Gold Rush ghost town in Bodie , where there are 170 historic wooden buildings to photograph and explore.

Other popular attractions in the region include Stanislaus National Forest , where visitors can fish in more than 800 miles of rivers and streams, stay in a campground, or hike into the backcountry seeking pristine solitude. Beautiful Lake McClure and Lake Don Pedro , which are far removed from the granite valleys, waterfalls, and alpine meadows of Yosemite National Park, together boast 200 miles of shoreline where visitors can set up in a remote and scenic cove in a tent or houseboat, fishing to their hearts’ content. Other favorites include Columbia State Historic Park and Railtown 1897 State Historic Park .

Madera County’s Fossils to Falls Trail starts in historic Chowchilla, which is home to the Fossil Discovery Center , where natural history buffs can see the preserved remains of animals like Colombian Mammoths, Sabre-toothed cats and the largest bear to ever walk the Earth, the 12-foot tall Shortfaced Bear. The trail includes iconic attractions, such as the Madera Wine Trail , Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad and ends up in Yosemite National Park, which still features waterfalls at this time of year, such as Bridalveil Fall, Nevada Fall and Vernal Fall . Also popular is Bass Lake , a sapphire gem in the mountains.

Wine lovers are surprised to learn that the Yosemite region is a stone’s throw from several Sierra Foothills wine regions , where they can pair amazing scenery with diverse wines. The vineyards are also an echo to the Gold Rush era, where immigrants seeking their fortune in the mines left their wine vines.

5) Fall Events

• Fall is a great time for festivals – most of which are free — in the Yosemite region, which offer a taste of the local lifestyle, from food and wine to art and music.
• The Groveland 49er Festival and Chili and Salsa Cook-Off (Sept. 21) starts with a pancake breakfast, followed by a town parade, Aviation Club Fly Over, Chili Cookoff, live & silent auction, raffles, food and beverage booths and family activities.
• Go hog-wild at the Blazin Hog BBQ Competition (Sept. 21) at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds, where restaurants battle for best pork BBQ honors. The event also includes a toe-tapping Zydeco Music Festival as well as local beer, wine, food, arts and crafts.
• Howl with laughter at the Coulterville CoyoteFest (Sept. 28), where locals compete in a Coyote Howling Contest and guests enjoy old-fashioned fun from dunking booths, games and crafts to history tours, nature activities, car show and shootouts.
• The annual Sierra Art Trails Open Studio Tour (Oct. 4-6) in Madera County, home to more artists per capita than anywhere else in the country, inspires art lovers with works from more than 100 artists from Oakhurst, Coarsegold and North Fork.
• Beer lovers flock to the June Lake Autumn Beer Festival (Oct. 5) which includes a chili cook-off and pie baking contest.
• Nature lovers should check out theGlacier Point Natural History program (Oct. 6), which shares an insider’s perspective of one of Yosemite’s most famous viewpoints. An expert guide will take guests on an autumn field trip, sharing the cultural and natural history of the iconic Glacier Point area, from fascinating geological features to diverse wildlife.
• Live like a pioneer at the Columbia Harvest FestiFall (Oct. 12-13) where guests can share 1850′s hobbies, crafts, music and dancing.
• The Oakhurst Fall Festival (Oct. 12-13) brings together local restaurants, area wineries, breweries and chocolatiers at Oakhurst Community Park , who give visitors a chance to sample their wares while enjoying live music, a classic car show, a petting zoo and kids’ activities from the local children’s museum. That same weekend, the Oakhurst Art and Music Festival (Oct. 12) in Harmony park features crafts from local artists, a parade, 5K Arts Run/Walk, special concerts and regional cuisine.
• Take a Celtic flight of fancy pre-Halloween at the All Hallows Fantasy Faire (Oct. 17-19), offering big and little ghouls the chance to see a fantasy village, fairies, fire eaters, dragons, marketplace and ancient warriors. This Celtic Heritage/Halloween blend includes popular Friday Zombie Bash for adults.
• Rev your engines for the Mariposa Yosemite Hot Rod & Custom Car Show (Oct. 19), featuring more than 100 custom cars, hot rods and motorcycles, plus great music and food.
• The annual Coarsegold Tarantula Festival (Oct. 26), which takes place at the Coarsegold Historic Village , celebrates the harmless arachnid which comes out each fall for mating season. Laughter is on the menu with hairiest leg contests for men and women, screaming contests, costume contests and tarantula races.
• The city of Madera, known as the Heart of Pomegranate Country, hosts the annual Madera Pomegranate Festival (Nov. 2) which features pomegranate-centric cooking demos from local chefs as well as pomegranates specialty products, live music, kids’ activities and the ever-popular Pomegranate Grenade Launch.
• Wine and food connoisseurs flock to Yosemite National Park in late fall for their signature Vintners’ Holidays (mid-November to early December) at The Ahwahnee Hotel. This eagerly anticipated annual event, boasts dozens of the best California vintners pouring their wines at tasting seminars and a five-course gala dinner. Visitors can buy special weekend packages to this event which include accommodations for two, wine tasting seminars, an intimate Meet the Vintners Reception and two tickets to the Gala Dinner.
• Fishing enthusiasts can reel it in at the Ambush at the Lake – Convict Lake Fishing Derby at various times through Nov. 15 featuring $6,000 in resort prizes.